The Maine Island Trail Association & the Northern Forest Canoe Trail are bringing the Reel Paddling Film Festival to Portland on March 29th, 2013. This event will be held at Hannaford Hall on the USM campus at 7:00 pm, and will include the exclusive premier of a new short film celebrating the Maine Island Trail on the occasion of its 25th anniversary.

A silent auction to benefit the Maine Island Trail Association, showcasing high quality gear and original Maine art, will begin at 6:00 pm. A unique collection of auction items will be on hand, including a stand-up paddleboard, gift certificates to local restaurants, a variety of weekend getaways, sailing, kayaking, and whitewater rafting packages, selections from talented local artists, and much more.

On September 27th, Mid Coast Hospital will host a ceremony to mark the restoration of its Nature Trail. This wooded walking path winds through the forested wetlands area between the hospital and the protected estuary and salt water marshes of Thompson’s Brook.

Accessible through the hospital’s Healing Garden and parking lots, the trail offers more than 3,300 feet of prepared walking paths that patients, visitors, staff, and the community can use for exercise in a beautiful outdoor environment. Benches located near scenic areas along the path allow those wishing to pursue a more leisurely pace, a place for quiet rest and contemplation.

The Nature Trail is part of Mid Coast Hospital’s initiative to provide a healing environment for patients, their families, and the community as a whole.